


And Thus it Begins

by evila_elf



Category: Jake and Amir
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-12
Updated: 2012-11-12
Packaged: 2017-11-18 12:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/561140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evila_elf/pseuds/evila_elf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amir returns to New York after Streeter pranks him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Thus it Begins

Jake paced in front of Amir’s apartment. Amir’s flight had landed hours ago. For the hundredth time, Jake eyed the small planter that belonged to the next door neighbor, knowing there was a spare key to Amir’s apartment hidden inside. But Jake already felt like he was intruding just by waiting outside.

What if Amir took up drinking and wasn’t coming home that night?

What if Amir never made his flight?

What if there was an accident on the freeway that backed up traffic for miles?

What if _Amir_ was in an accident? 

Frustrated, Jake sat on the curb and ran the fingers of both hands through his hair, resisting the urge to tangle and pull. He needed to shut off the worrying side of his brain. The brain that had helped him these past several years at College Humor was as active as ever, and Jake wished it would just shut up.

After what seemed like another hour, Jake saw a yellow cab approach. He sat still as it pulled just past him, trunk popping open before it had fully stopped. Amir emerged from the backseat of the cab and retrieved his bags from the trunk. He took several steps away from the cab before he saw Jake, but then only hesitated briefly before continuing toward his apartment.

Jake scrambled to his feet.

“So you heard. Did he post the fucking video already?” Amir had already opened his door and went inside before he finished his sentence. But he left the door open.

Jake followed Amir inside, closing the door behind him. “Blog post.” 

Amir threw his bags against the nearest wall without care to bags or wall and sank down on his couch. Hunched over, the shadows of the dark room consumed him.

Jake blinked, trying to get his eyes to focus, the street lamp outside providing only a tiny amount of light through the partially closed shades. He approached slowly, knowing that if he messed up and Amir told him to leave, that he would have no choice but to do as asked. As he tried to think of something to say, Amir beat him to it.

“I don’t want to do this anymore.”

Jake’s breath caught in his throat. “This…?”

“This was supposed to be my big break out of this city. I can’t do _this_.” He motioned around with his hands at the sparsely furnished apartment.

“By giving a one-liner for Human Giant?”

Amir snorted. “It would be on TV.”

“Believe me, College Humor is going to be around a lot longer than Human Giant. You’ve been writing for CH for four years.”

“Give yourself another year. You’ll see what I mean. You’ll want out, too.”

“If two years isn’t enough to know this is an awesome job, I don’t know what is.” Why couldn’t Amir see that? “What about our series?”

“It’s not that funny, Jake. Sure our friends like them, but it can’t compare to a real gig.”

“So we make it funny. Who needs MTV? The internet is where the cool kids hang nowadays. College Humor even said they would give us a place for our sketches if we did well enough.”

Amir gave a frustrated yell into his hands.

“Look. Go shower. I’ll get us some food, okay? Maybe we can write a few sketches?”

Amir shrugged.

“Good. I’ll be back in 15.” Jake turned the lights on on his way out the door.

***

Jake expected to find Amir still in the same spot when he returned, McDonald’s bag in hand, but he was greeted with the sounds of the shower running. He cleared a spot on the dining room table and was contemplating if plates would be needed when Amir emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a worn robe and hair still dripping, glasses absent. He looked so young that it was hard to believe that he was the older one by two years. God, he wanted to kill Streeter for beating Amir over the head with the one thing he wanted the most.

“I could smell the food through the door.” Amir grabbed the bag from the table and moved to the couch instead, leaving Jake to follow. He eyed the notebook that Jake brought along, squinting a little without his glasses.

“I wasn’t kidding about the sketch writing.”

Amir wrinkled his nose before digging into the bag for a box of chicken nuggets.

“Fine. Character sketches then.”

“Fine,” Amir said, mouth full.

“You love chicken nuggets.”

“Duh.”

Jake tapped the pad of paper with his pencil.

“Boring.” Amir grabbed another.

“No. You’re _obsessed_ with chicken nuggets.”

Amir finally smiled.


End file.
